Bob Marley's religious affiliation



Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 13:42:50 -0600
From: Sista Irie <sisirie@io.com>
Subject: Letter in Today's Gleaner re: Bob's religous affiliations...

Over the past few months, several people have introduced the topic of Bob's religous affiliations....I thought this letter to the editor in today's Gleaner was interesting and wondered if anyone out there has any comment about it? I find the topic confusing at best concerning the intersection of Rastafari with Christianity. I'd love to hear some the forums thoughts on this....sis irie #23

THE EDITOR, Sir:

It is indeed a sad day for Christianity in Jamaica when a "Reverend" should doubt the power of God to grant forgiveness to one of us creatures who have genuinely and publicly asked for it. I refer to Rev. Mervin Stoddart's letter published in The Sunday Gleaner of February 25, 2001, under the reading "No 'conversion' for Bob Marley". The Rev. Stoddart is belittling Bob, as he said: "Propaganda spreading over my name, say you want to bring another life to shame" (Bad Card); thus proving that he is one of the "hypocrites and parasites" who have "come up" to "take a bite" (Who The Cap Fit) of Bob's legacy.
If Rev. Stoddart was a genuine Christian researcher he would realise Bob's penitence in the last song he recorded - "I Know" - (a part of which the Reverend quoted and misrepresented in the said letter) where he describes himself as being, "Like a ship tossed and driven, battered by the angry sea, yeah", and seeks forgiveness in the lines following, "Say when the tide of times are raging, don't let the fury fall on me no! no!, cause I know yeah Jah will be waiting there." (Please note that Jah is one of the Almighty God's names; see Psalm 68:4 of the original King James Version).
As an executive member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (E.O.C.) in Jamaica, headquartered at 89 Maxfield Avenue, Kingston 13, I know that prospective members, prior to being baptised are instructed in the practices and teachings of the church and that they must confess their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as did the first Ethiopian who was baptised (Acts 8:37). Indeed we are all baptised and anointed in the name of Jesus Christ ? The Father, Son and Holy Spirit ? one God. Rev. Stoddart needs to realise that thousands of former Rastafarians (Bob Marley and yours truly Haile Mika'el included) have repented, been converted and baptised into the E.O.C. and that by so doing, we have been accepted into paradise just as the thief on the right hand of the Lord when he was on the tree of the Holy Cross. If he hopes to gain his Ph.D. on his stated un-Christian principles then he and others like him need to understand Ezekiel 34 to know the reward of faithless ministers of the gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am, etc.,

HAILE MIKA'EL

St. Ann
Marley

Posted: Fri - February 7, 2003 at 12:00 AM      


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